Time to know each other

[baron555 934]

When your information passes through to NOA1, you'll get an approval because you haven't made any mistakes on filing your papers.

Um....wrong. NOA1 only means that they have received your petition and on the face of them you've included all the other necessary documents....and most important, you've sent the check.

When you get an approval to NOA2 it'll be because you've meet the requirements of having chat logs, having pictures, and meeting.

Wrong again, NOA2 means they've reviewed your documents, performed the background check and determined you both are qualified to move forward with the K-1. No determination is made regarding the validity of the relationship.

At that point between NOA2 and NVC is when the initial decision is made,

Wrong again. NVC only does more background checking, etc. No determination has been made regarding the relationship....that is soley in the Embassy's hands.

it'll be too late to send any extra evidence that you have to prove them otherwise. The packet will be shipped to the consular in her embassy and he will read what they have to say and base his decision off of that. IF their decision is not in your favor than you would have aimlessly spent all that time/money for nothing.

Yes there must be some sort of pre-decision forming in the CO's mind which will help them formulate what they are going to ask about at the interview. Some MENA countries are notorious (or famous, depending on what side you are on) at totally ignoring what takes place at the interview. The OP's country is not one of those.

Thats why I suggest doing all you can do before filing your papers.

And the more meetings and trips any couple can make together is great, don't get me wrong....but many can not make this happen and they get approved just as quickly.

[Marco&Bettina 502]

Hi John! This is what I heard from my lawyer in my personal experience, we needed to literally scramble all that we can get together to make sure they know that we haven been dating for 2 years. My lawyer told me that, although there are cases who have been approved and been dating a shorter time than my fiancé and I have, the longer you know each other before filing the i-129f, the better. The main reason I would suggest meeting her at least one more time before filing your i-129f is so that you can have more evidence because I'm fairly certain you might not have as much evidence as you need. A few pictures a two months worth of chat logs aren't that much compared to other people. What you do after you file the i-129f is good as well, but its not as substantial as what you file before. When your information passes through to NOA1, you'll get an approval because you haven't made any mistakes on filing your papers. When you get an approval to NOA2 it'll be because you've meet the requirements of having chat logs, having pictures, and meeting. At that point between NOA2 and NVC is when the initial decision is made, it'll be too late to send any extra evidence that you have to prove them otherwise. The packet will be shipped to the consular in her embassy and he will read what they have to say and base his decision off of that. IF their decision is not in your favor than you would have aimlessly spent all that time/money for nothing. Thats why I suggest doing all you can do before filing your papers.

You're a little mistaken. NVC decides nothing. They merely forward the USICS-approved petition to the consulate abroad.

[SincerelyMeike 52]

Really? So do they make the initial decision at NOA2?

[d3adc0d3 186]

Really? So do they make the initial decision at NOA2?

The Notice of Action you get that informs you that you've been approved or denied aka NoA2 means that your petition is approved, not the visa. This means that you've met all the requirements necessary for the visa you're applying for, that they did not find the beneficiary or petitioner inadmissible, and that you filled out the paperwork properly.

The visa is issued at the embassy stage, after all the "leg work" e.g. background checks, income requirements, initial meeting, have been reviewed and approved. The interview is typically the "fail safe" where they hope to catch anyone who's inadmissible or potentially attempting to fraudulently trying to obtain a visa. The CO during the interview looks for flags and signs that the relationship is not genuine or bona fide, and will deny you if they feel it is not. They also run a more local background/criminal check and medical exam to ensure that the beneficiary is not inadmissible on those grounds.

So the CO often will go into the interview with an idea of whether or not the person will be approved off the bat, but their minds can be changed depending on the evidence the couple can present.

[SincerelyMeike 52]

No I'm well aware I need to go to the interview for my visa to be approved, I just was perviously told that they make an initial decision at the NOA2 stage that they give to they consular to base his questions off of and/or make his decision off of.

[baron555 934]

No I'm well aware I need to go to the interview for my visa to be approved, I just was perviously told that they make an initial decision at the NOA2 stage that they give to they consular to base his questions off of and/or make his decision off of.

No there is no initial decision made prior to the Embassy or any suggestion to the Embassy.

Just as the previous poster stated, that's the process that is followed.

[CowBoE 429]

We met only once in person through the entire processing.

The first physical meeting was 1.5 months after we met,

and we filed for I-129F 2.5 months after we met.

Our ages are 10 years apart.

And other than usual waiting time, we had absolutely no challenges or glitches

in our processing.

We had prepared and gathered lots of relationship and financial evidence,

and most of them they didn't even ask for during the interview.

You visiting her 2 more times leading to the interview would be excellent.

You are doing the right thing by asking questions now,

so that you can build up strong evidence.

In addition to the usual, I also wired some money in 2 special occasions,

sent cards, made on-line purchases, made daily calls, etc.

to build up strong relationship evidence.

I wouldn't be overly concerned...but I would be very prepared with necessary

supporting evidences. I think in the end, you guys will be just fine.

Best of luck.

[KayDeeCee 4,891]

Hi John! This is what I heard from my lawyer in my personal experience, we needed to literally scramble all that we can get together to make sure they know that we haven been dating for 2 years. My lawyer told me that, although there are cases who have been approved and been dating a shorter time than my fiancé and I have, the longer you know each other before filing the i-129f, the better. The main reason I would suggest meeting her at least one more time before filing your i-129f is so that you can have more evidence because I'm fairly certain you might not have as much evidence as you need. A few pictures a two months worth of chat logs aren't that much compared to other people. What you do after you file the i-129f is good as well, but its not as substantial as what you file before. When your information passes through to NOA1, you'll get an approval because you haven't made any mistakes on filing your papers. When you get an approval to NOA2 it'll be because you've meet the requirements of having chat logs, having pictures, and meeting. At that point between NOA2 and NVC is when the initial decision is made, it'll be too late to send any extra evidence that you have to prove them otherwise. The packet will be shipped to the consular in her embassy and he will read what they have to say and base his decision off of that. IF their decision is not in your favor than you would have aimlessly spent all that time/money for nothing. Thats why I suggest doing all you can do before filing your papers.

The only requirements of the I-129F petition are that you are both free to marry, you both intend to marry within 90 days of the foreign fiance(e)'s entrance to the US with the K-1 visa, and that you have been together at least one time within the 2 years prior to filing the petition. There is no requirement for chat logs or other relationship evidence. They are not used to approve the I-129F petition. Those things are added in for the consular stage of the process, known around here as 'front loading'. The CO giving your interview will be able to see everything that was included with your petition to the USCIS, and it may help them to make a decision as to whether or not you have a valid relationship.

Nothing is decided by the NVC. The I-129F petition goes through the NVC quickly. It is received, assigned a case# and forwarded to the appropriate consulate. Very few are stuck at the NVC in AP. The CO at the consulate will make the decision as to whether or not you are eligible to receive the K-1 visa.

Some consulates have refused to look at evidence brought to the interview, but cannot deny the evidence that was already passed through the USCIS and is in your file. You should research reviews of the consulate you will interview at to know how much or little you need 'front load' your I-129F petition.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

I have a question concerning this whole K-1 Visa process. We will have known each other for about 2 ½ months, and met once. We talk every day, and I am documenting all conversations since August 30,(we met in person between the 15th and the 20 of August). We are very good about making sure we talk about plans for our future etc, with purpose, though we did that in Bogota, in chat. The reason I bring this up, is I noticed, on the time lines, that from NOA 1 to Embassy approval, for Bogota, is about 6 months, which I didn't know it would be that fast! That will give us about 9 months total of knowing each other..Do they question, or has anybody had any issues with only knowing each other a couple of months before filing? is this a big issue for them, or a red flag?

Not sure about your country but Philippines..."Met" my wife on-line and chatted for 2 months. Went to meet her in person after 2 months, proposed after 4 days, married her after 3 more days. Filed for CR-1 once we got the wedding contract from government. 8 months passed while we waited for interview...I attended interview with her (allowed in Philippines) and 12 days later we flew to US together. I don't see a problem with 9 months. And as far as the age difference goes the CO had questions fer me because my youngest son was older than my new wife. Had I not been at the interview I am not sure how it would have gone. The co asked me more questions than my spouse. Age difference? I am 37 years older than my spouse. That might be a red flag in your country and it might have been for us in Philippines but me being at the interview I really believe made the difference. If you can attend her interview with her it might be a good idea. Even if you have to wait outside the embassy while she gets interviewed, in which case she can acrry your passport into the interview with her to show that you are outside supporting her. I have heard that this has helped some.

God Bless you both,

Aloha, David

28 years, from one of the OP's other topics. That, combined with getting married after knowing each other for only a very short amount of time, are two significant red flags that you may need to overcome.

This was not an issue for my spouse and I. I was 57 and she was 20 at the time of the interview. But perhaps my being there with her at the interview helped???

[David & Diana R 1,005]

I WANT to go visit two more times after the I-129F is filed just to expedite the situation, But does the CO officer really care if those two visits are AFTER or before the petition is filed? It seems like it wouldn't matter as long as we were working on our relationship and toward marriage?

I think you'll be fine visiting after filing. Being at the interview could be key here...

[ash&ot2012 3]

I WANT to go visit two more times after the I-129F is filed just to expedite the situation, But does the CO officer really care if those two visits are AFTER or before the petition is filed? It seems like it wouldn't matter as long as we were working on our relationship and toward marriage?

i was worried just like you because my fiance visited just once and it was for 6days, we did not have any problem at the interview. All you need to do is to have enough evidence for ongoing relationship before the interview. though our age diff was 3yrs. best of luck.